Home Defense Shooting? Or Mistaken Victim?

[birdmove]

I will add one interesting fact to my story. The dude that smashed his way into my house, did it late at night on my 22nd birthday (I'm now 64). At the time, I had association, and they had a fine gun range in Seattle, and back then, allowed civilians to join. I reloaded my own ammunition, and went there target shooting often. When the home invader came to see me, I was ready. I had total confidence in myself and my abilities with a firearm. Knowing that, I was able to cut this guy some slack and NOT kill him on the spot. I held him at gunpoint and reminded him, that if he came at me, it wouldn't end well for him.
Three things I decided in the instant I heard breaking glass that night. 1.If there were more than one of them, I would shoot. 2.If he, or they, were armed, I would shoot. 3. If he was alone and unarmed, I would hold him at gunpoint and have my roomate call the cops. Lucky for me, and him, it ended in scenario 3. I did NOT want to live out my days having killed someone. But, I did very much want to live out my days.
If I woke up to a stranger pounding on my door, there is no way I would shoot through the door. I'd call the cops, and yell at the guy asking why he was pounding on my door late at night. The situation would change if he smashed his way through my door, entering the three scenarios mentioned above.
I'm not going to take on a home invader hand to hand. I'm 64, walk with a cane, and have cancer. I can't run away. I'd blow out my right knee again.

Jon in Keaau/HPP